Mountain Lion Shot After Wandering Into Downtown Santa Monica

Police shot and killed a mountain lion that was found early Tuesday in downtown Santa Monica, California near an outdoor mall.

Authorities first tried to tranquilize the animal and used pepper balls, but failed to subdue the 3-year-old cat. Madeline Bernstein of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles says she is "dismayed" by the incident.

"Basically, they agitated and frightened a cornered cat before they killed her," Bernstein added. The Santa Monica Mountains are known to be a mountain lion habitat.